Return visit of Wissembourg students in our school
Following our visit in Lycee Stanislas – our partner school in Wissembourg – time came for their return visit. Nine students from France accompanied by two teachers visited our school in order to carry out the tasks arising from the Comenius project „All Equal at European Schools”. Let me remind you at this point that the main objective of the project is to shape young people’s democratic and civic attitudes along with their openness to other people’s needs and to promote the attitude of opposition to racism and intolerance.
The rich programme of the stay included various activities such as workshops on human rights, tolerance and other related topics. The students discussed the issues of discrimination, stereotypes, racial and religious minorities (Gypsies, Jews and the Orthodox among others), and multicultural communities. The first in the series of activities attended by the French students was a gender workshop conducted by teenage Amnesty International leaders from our school, who had mastered their skills during a week training on the Wolin island. The main theme was judging by appearances, i.e. passing prejudiced judgment without sound evidence. The workshop proved to be an instant hit. The main aim was achieved: it was not only to make people aware but first of all to get them talking about commonly known problems which are often overlooked or ignored. It was the first step to review the students’ attitudes.
Let me quote a few statements made by students concerning intolerance: „Theoretically everyone knows what intolerance is. But if you attempt at explaining the real nature of the phenomenon people are at a loss for words and find it difficult to define the essence of it. To my mind at least, intolerance is fear of the unknown, something out of the ordinary. It seems a paradox on a large scale as we all like to emphasise that we are individuals. Every one of us makes an effort to be different and therefore special.” “And yet people who are different are often persecuted. I have encountered manifestations of discrimination due to the type music you listen to, skin colour, religion, beliefs, membership of a social group, interests and sexual orientation. Also handicapped people or children from children’s homes may encounter violent reaction. It is a touchy subject and although the media publicise the problem instead of solving it they only make things worse. I know that in some schools representatives of other religious denominations are invited to Religious Instruction classes, which is to prove they are just like us. It doesn’t work like though in all schools though. In some cases it can even aggravate the problem of intolerance. As I already said, the whole situation is one big paradox! Nearly all of us want to stand out in a crowd with our hairdo, dress code, company we hang out with, and at the same time we despise people who are different. Why?” “Everyone’s convinced they know what it’s all about but you don’t really know anything until you’ve experienced it. A rock music fun may be derided by pop or rap music lovers and vice versa.” “But it’s the hardest for coloured people and homo- or bi-sexual ones. In the latter case it may not be so obvious at first sight but once people around realize that someone’s different, he / she will be ridiculed and cast away. But it’s a bit like turning your back at someone just because their hair is red. I simply feel sorry for people who want to conform at all costs and pretend to be someone else. It’s like playing a role instead of living your own life.” “I’ve met a priest who would gouge out the eyes of anyone who was not a Christian. To him, only Christianity is right whereas other religious denominations should be condemned and excluded from the community
Typical regional food...." pieczone ziemniaki"
in our school
Reliquary - coffin with the remains of King Stanislaw Leszczynski - patron of the school Lycee Stanislas in Wissembourgu in France - the crypt of Wawel
The next item on the programme was a visit to the Jewish Centre in Oświęcim accompanied by another workshop, this time on countering intolerance. We were also told the fascinating history of the pre-war Jewish community living in Oświęcim. The Jewish Centre is one the few remaining traces of Jewish inhabitants in this region, where the infamous concentration camps (Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II – Birkenau) wer established during the Second World War.
The principal aim of the Centre, which was founded in 2000, is honouring the memory of the Jewish population in Oświęcim as well as educating young people paying special attention to the problem of extermination and contemporary threats connected with intolerance and prejudice. We visited the Jewish Museum, the Chewra Lomdei Misznajot synagogue and Education Centre, which combines prayer and reflection with the task of commemorating the Jewish past of the town.
In the Jewish Centre we participated in a workshop which consisted in viewing the film “Blue Eyed” in English followed by discussion and preparing a project devoted to intolerance and reflecting the way the Polish and French students perceived the problem. In silence and with concentration, moved deeply the students walked around the grounds of the Auschwitz memorial – the world-famous place of the extermination of Jews, the symbol of the Holocaust, genocide and terror, and violation of human rights, example of what racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, chauvinism and intolerance cam lead to. Why should we teach about the Holocaust? is an English book which we bought for students using our school library. We encourage our students to get familiar with it. The aim of the workshop is:
reflecting on the stereotypical perception of individuals and social groups
shaping the attitude of openness and tolerance towards minorities
analyzing the influence of stereotypes and prejudices on interpersonal relationships
recognizing various symptoms of discrimination
supporting the campaign to combat discrimination, racism, and xenophobia which in turn can lead to making a positive effort aimed at counteracting the problem
As a group carrying out the project „All Equal at European schools” we came to a conclusion that our priority, both in Polish as well as French schools, should be incorporating into the school curriculum topics such as equality and opposing discrimination based on age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, nationality and the like. It may be organized in the form of individual classes or series of classes during or outside lessons, through coursebooks or other visual materials. The problem of equality in European schools it what we have in common and provides common ground for discussion and action. Thorough analysis and conclusions should contribute to uniting student from different schools no matter what their beliefs or preferences are. There is still plenty of room for improvement in European schools. There should be more large scale enterprises such as this project with a view to achieving our common goal of equality at European schools. MY OPINION AND COMMENTS
Great rise in Poland ! Good food, very very friendly people [Zaneta], I wanna come back again ;P. - Andreas
We think that this experience in Poland was very educational because we have known a new culture and visit interesting and beautiful place. The food was very good and the people are very kind and funny. We want to come there again. -Jessica and Chiara
The cathedral - Wawel
Wawel at night
Wawel Dragon - fire breathing
Return visit of Wissembourg students in our school
Following our visit in Lycee Stanislas – our partner school in Wissembourg – time came for their return visit.
Nine students from France accompanied by two teachers visited our school in order to carry out the tasks arising from the Comenius project „All Equal at European Schools”. Let me remind you at this point that the main objective of the project is to shape young people’s democratic and civic attitudes along with their openness to other people’s needs and to promote the attitude of opposition to racism and intolerance.
The rich programme of the stay included various activities such as workshops on human rights, tolerance and other related topics. The students discussed the issues of discrimination, stereotypes, racial and religious minorities (Gypsies, Jews and the Orthodox among others), and multicultural communities.
The first in the series of activities attended by the French students was a gender workshop conducted by teenage Amnesty International leaders from our school, who had mastered their skills during a week training on the Wolin island. The main theme was judging by appearances, i.e. passing prejudiced judgment without sound evidence.
The workshop proved to be an instant hit. The main aim was achieved: it was not only to make people aware but first of all to get them talking about commonly known problems which are often overlooked or ignored. It was the first step to review the students’ attitudes.
Let me quote a few statements made by students concerning intolerance:
„Theoretically everyone knows what intolerance is. But if you attempt at explaining the real nature of the phenomenon people are at a loss for words and find it difficult to define the essence of it. To my mind at least, intolerance is fear of the unknown, something out of the ordinary. It seems a paradox on a large scale as we all like to emphasise that we are individuals. Every one of us makes an effort to be different and therefore special.”
“And yet people who are different are often persecuted. I have encountered manifestations of discrimination due to the type music you listen to, skin colour, religion, beliefs, membership of a social group, interests and sexual orientation. Also handicapped people or children from children’s homes may encounter violent reaction.
It is a touchy subject and although the media publicise the problem instead of solving it they only make things worse. I know that in some schools representatives of other religious denominations are invited to Religious Instruction classes, which is to prove they are just like us. It doesn’t work like though in all schools though. In some cases it can even aggravate the problem of intolerance.
As I already said, the whole situation is one big paradox! Nearly all of us want to stand out in a crowd with our hairdo, dress code, company we hang out with, and at the same time we despise people who are different. Why?”
“Everyone’s convinced they know what it’s all about but you don’t really know anything until you’ve experienced it. A rock music fun may be derided by pop or rap music lovers and vice versa.”
“But it’s the hardest for coloured people and homo- or bi-sexual ones. In the latter case it may not be so obvious at first sight but once people around realize that someone’s different, he / she will be ridiculed and cast away. But it’s a bit like turning your back at someone just because their hair is red. I simply feel sorry for people who want to conform at all costs and pretend to be someone else. It’s like playing a role instead of living your own life.”
“I’ve met a priest who would gouge out the eyes of anyone who was not a Christian. To him, only Christianity is right whereas other religious denominations should be condemned and excluded from the community
in our school
Reliquary - coffin with the remains of King Stanislaw Leszczynski - patron of the school Lycee Stanislas in Wissembourgu in France - the crypt of Wawel
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RoyalGraves.JPG#globalusage
workshops IN WYGIEŁZÓW
a trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau
EDUCATION WORKSHOPS IN OSWIECIM
The next item on the programme was a visit to the Jewish Centre in Oświęcim accompanied by another workshop, this time on countering intolerance. We were also told the fascinating history of the pre-war Jewish community living in Oświęcim. The Jewish Centre is one the few remaining traces of Jewish inhabitants in this region, where the infamous concentration camps (Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II – Birkenau) wer established during the Second World War.
The principal aim of the Centre, which was founded in 2000, is honouring the memory of the Jewish population in Oświęcim as well as educating young people paying special attention to the problem of extermination and contemporary threats connected with intolerance and prejudice.
We visited the Jewish Museum, the Chewra Lomdei Misznajot synagogue and Education Centre, which combines prayer and reflection with the task of commemorating the Jewish past of the town.
In the Jewish Centre we participated in a workshop which consisted in viewing the film “Blue Eyed” in English followed by discussion and preparing a project devoted to intolerance and reflecting the way the Polish and French students perceived the problem. In silence and with concentration, moved deeply the students walked around the grounds of the Auschwitz memorial – the world-famous place of the extermination of Jews, the symbol of the Holocaust, genocide and terror, and violation of human rights, example of what racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, chauvinism and intolerance cam lead to.
Why should we teach about the Holocaust? is an English book which we bought for students using our school library. We encourage our students to get familiar with it.
The aim of the workshop is:
As a group carrying out the project „All Equal at European schools” we came to a conclusion that our priority, both in Polish as well as French schools, should be incorporating into the school curriculum topics such as equality and opposing discrimination based on age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, nationality and the like. It may be organized in the form of individual classes or series of classes during or outside lessons, through coursebooks or other visual materials. The problem of equality in European schools it what we have in common and provides common ground for discussion and action. Thorough analysis and conclusions should contribute to uniting student from different schools no matter what their beliefs or preferences are. There is still plenty of room for improvement in European schools. There should be more large scale enterprises such as this project with a view to achieving our common goal of equality at European schools.
MY OPINION AND COMMENTS
Great rise in Poland ! Good food, very very friendly people [Zaneta], I wanna come back again ;P. - Andreas
We think that this experience in Poland was very educational because we have known a new culture and visit interesting and beautiful place. The food was very good and the people are very kind and funny. We want to come there again. -Jessica and Chiara